Ketchup not Carrot
by just giddy
Summary: KBFW oneshot. katies always been known to spout the brutal truth and fred jsut needs a dose of it...although he HAS been asking for it


**Ok, I'm going tell you all now that I bumped Katie's age up so she's with the twins and Ange and 'Lic. Okz? So now you can't throw pointy things at me and shouting 'then how does she get cursed and blah blah blah…!' and the answer to that is 'because I like Katie and I don't feel like putting her through that…at the moment…and because it just complicates things for me and I don't like that'. sooooooo then all this takes place during Harry's fifth year/book, so there. And don't imagine the twins like they are in the movies, imagine them with RED scruffy hair and NORMAL bangs. Ok, just thought I had to say that.**

**And here's the disclaimer fanfic 'needs' to have…**

**Disclaimer: while I was typing this and laughing wildly at my genius for writing such a wonderful place, a middle aged English lady came and slapped me for plagiarizing or something like that... Lemme tell you, that Rowling lady can get really defensive.**

"Katherine, I need to ask you a very serious question which needs a very honest answer."

Seventh year Katie Bell was desperately trying to study for her Transfiguration test tomorrow. And some people could say that she wasn't trying that hard since she was sitting cock-eyed in one of the armchairs with her back leaning against one arm rest and her legs hanging off the other, and the fact that she would glance around the common room every now and then for a good distraction wasn't exactly helping her case. But half an hour earlier she had pushed her hair off her face and redirected her work ethic even if she left her studying position the same.

So with a groan she looked up to see a very familiar redhead. "What Fred-and since when do you call me _Katherine_?"

"Kates," he sighed, kneeling down in front of the armchair she was occupying. "I need a favor."

She looked at him blankly, "for the last time, _I'm not going to marry you_."

"No, not that," he said, quickly shaking his head, "I need the brutal truth and you're the only one I know who'll give it to me."

"Because I'm such a great friend?" she asked as she turned back to her textbook.

"No, because you can be rather harsh," Katie glared at him, "err….and-And I've never heard a lie escape your lustrous lips."

"I'm still not going to marry you," she mumbled, practically digging her nose into the pages of her book, "Look Fred, I really need to study."

"It'll only take a second, I promise."

Katie looked over her long time friend. Fred Weasley had been one of her closest friends ever since she had stepped foot onto the Hogwarts Express back when she was only 11 years old. Back then she had braces (her half-blood mother's idea) and wore pigtails almost everyday. Fred had been almost unrecognizable from his twin brother-both had scruffy red hair, the exact same height and no doubt the same amount of freckles if she had taken the time to count-but she soon learned that Fred had a left dimple and George a right. And even though Katie lost her braces the next year and ditched the low pigtails she was known for in exchange for wind tousled hair in her second year when they both made the house team which also gave her a multitude of sun freckles across her nose and cheeks, Fred had stayed almost exactly the same. He still had that mischievous grin, left dimple, and the infamous red hair. But they had matured together either way-well, as much as he could mature mentally-and now Katie finally reached her maximum height at 5'7" while she scowled half heartedly at Fred who was still growing taller at 5'10" (she had always been used to being taller than her (or at least used to be) stocky friend).

"Ok," she sighed, marking her spot before closing her book and sitting properly in the chair, "What can I do you for Mr. Weasley that requires my harsh abilities?"

"I think I'm going bald."

Katie stared blanking at him. "And I think I'm going to kill you-" she went to pick up her book again but he grabbed her hand.

"Kates-I'm serious," he moaned, "It runs in my family and I found these on my pillow yesterday," he held out his hand which was holding three hairs.

She peered at them, "Those could be cat hairs," she pointed out. "A tabby cat or something."

"They're RED," he said. "_Red_. Not orange, _red_. No cat has red hair. Cats are like carrots and I'm like ketchup. These are mine _because I'm going bald_!"

Katie tried not to laugh as he shouted that last part which received odd looks from the other Griffindors, "Fred, don't be ridiculous-you're going to turn 18 in April."

"Still! Just look," he said, bowing his head so she could see the top of it.

She smiled as she reached over and messed up his hair, "You're fine."

"No," he said, grabbing her hands and placing them on the top of his head, "REALLY look."

With an exasperated sigh she put both of her hands on top of his head. She sifted, pushed, pulled and ran her hands all throughout his scruffy red hair-from messy bangs to the slightly curled ends on the nape of his neck. After a good amount of time she picked up her textbook and retained her studying position, "There, you are officially not losing your _red_ hair."

"Really?" he asked, looking up with a bright smile adorning his tanned freckled face.

"Yes," she laughed lightly, "Really. It's just about as thick as mine."

Fred's smile grew as he stood up and walked behind her before pulling out the elastic that was holding her messy hair in a loose bun.

"Fre-Fred what are you doing?" she asked as he pulled rather hard against a stubborn knot.

"Is it really this thick?" he asked, pulling his hand out of her hair.

She arched her back and craned her neck to grab the elastic out of his hand, "No-you're balding," she mumbled sarcastically as she tied her hair back up loosely, "Does that make you feel better?"

"Yes."

"YES?"

"Yes because I know you were being sarcastic," he smirked down at her.

"Just go away Carrot-top."

"Didn't we just go over how I'm a French fry with Ketchup on top?" he asked with an eyebrow cocked as he stood in front of her again.

"Don't be silly-you're not French," she mumbled, reading about how to transfigure an owl into a dragon.

"Thanks Kates," he laughed lightly as he bent over and gave her a quick peck on her cheek and mock-pouted as she wiped her cheek with the back of her hand in mock-defiance. But his smirk jumped right back into position. "Do you know where my dear twin is? I do believe it's time we harassed first years."

"I think he's in the kitchens-"

"-Brilliant, we can stock up on cream pies!" he said excitedly as he headed towards the portrait hole.

"-AND LEAVE THEM ALONE….UNLESS THEY'RE SLYTHERINS!" she added as an after thought.

"What are you?" he called over his shoulder, "A lousy prefect?" he added before slamming the door behind him.

Katie watched in amusement as bushy haired Hermione Granger stalked over to the hole, swung open the door and shouted, "_I _HEARD THAT AND _LEAVE THEM ALONE_!" and Katie couldn't help that a laugh escaped her lips when she stalked back to where she was studying with Harry and Ron, "It's like they've got their own sense of rules," Hermione mumbled as she sat back down. "_Do something about it Ronald_!" she snapped at the younger redhead.

Katie smiled broadly as Ron looked over to her with a questioning look and she just shrugged her shoulders in sympathy.

They did have their own set of rules and no one seemed capable of restraining them.

But that toad-of-an-Umbridge was figured how to break them down a few months later.

Katie's arms were throbbing as the bludger slammed against her bat for what must've been the hundredth time on an early spring afternoon. Suddenly she had a new appreciation for the beating position. She let out another grunt as the bludger came flying back-Umbridge may have banned him from organized play but that didn't stop them from beating a few now and then when he needed to let out a substantial amount of steam-which Katie noticed was growing more and more frequently.

She groaned loudly as her last hit went way off course and had to barrel roll to avoid the bludger speeding towards her. She watched as the bludger whizzed off and scowled over her shoulder at Fred-who shrugged his broad shoulders apologetically (on the broom he borrowed from Angelina)-as she flew after it.

"Quaffle, Bludger, snitch-argh!" Katie groaned as the sun started to set. Flopping onto the ground she scowled at the snitch being projected by Fred's wand, dropping her own next to her with the meager quaffle projection spinning around the tip. "I'm not putting that bludger away," she said defiantly as she pointed to the thing still zooming around.

"But you lost Kates," Fred laughed light-heartedly.

"That stupid game Ange made up is stupid anyway," she mumbled from the grass, "How does snitch beat quaffle anyway?"

"Because it scores 150 points and Quaffle only scores ten," Fred explained.

"And bludger doesn't score anything!"

"But it knocks the snitch off course."

"Then how does Quaffle beat it?"

"It avoids it. Don't you remember the rules?"

"She made the rules up after a muggle game," she pointed out stubbornly. "That alone makes it flawed."

"Aren't you a quarter muggle?" he asked even though he knew the answer fully.

"Yes-but still, it's stupid. How does covering up a rock make paper the winner anyway?" she asked, "It's stupid."

"Fine," the red head sighed, "I'll put it away."

"Muchas gracias," Katie smiled and holding out her beaters bat up to him.

"I didn't know you spoke French," Fred said, ignoring the bat and walking off to retrieve the bludger.

Katie scowled before chucking the bat and smiled as he scowled jokingly over his shoulder at her when it hit him square on the shoulder. She put on a mock-innocent face as she looked around to see who could've thrown a bat at her closest friend. Fred laughed before going to wrestle the bludger.

"You know you could help," Fred managed as he trapped the bludger underneath him.

"I know," Katie smiled as she held the crate open next to him, "But this is much more amusing."

"Don't strain yourself," he laughed as he locked it in. "Wood was right," he sighed as he leaned against the crate as he sunk down to the grass.

"About what?" she asked, closing the crate before sitting down next to him, "I never heard him say that he was an egotistical maniac."

"No," Fred chuckled, "I meant when he said that chasers are spoiled."

Katie pushed his smirking self so he fell sideways on the grass. "Take that back Fred Weasley."

"Fine, fine," he laughed as he righted himself. "I take it back."

"You better…" she mumbled.

"Would I lie?" he asked as he draped his arm around her shoulders.

"Yes."

"To you?"

"…No…"

"See? I told you I took it back." Katie sighed and rested her head against his shoulder, "Thanks Kates."

"For what? I should be thanking you," she mumbled just barely audible. "You're a damn comfortable."

"For this," he chuckled, motioning to their brooms lying next to them, "It's a good thing Umbridge didn't ban me from the pitch in general."

"Like we wouldn't have manage to beat in the woods, or corridors, or some jazz," she laughed. "You would've figured out something."

"Well thanks anyway."

"I was rooting for you," she said as she nodded her head.

"What?"

"When you hit Malfoy," she explained through a sudden yawn, "I was cheering for you when our dear captain made me hold George back too."

"Oh were you?" he smirked.

Katie craned her neck to look at him, "Oh yeah, had the little scarlet and gold 'Fred' flags out and everything." Fred's shoulders and chest heaved with laughter as he planted a quick kiss on her temple. "that Umbridge woman is such a shrew," Katie mumbled as looked at the pitch stands.

"I couldn't have put it better myself."

"I'm sure you could if you tried," she pointed out, "You're not Fred Weasley for nothing."

"Well I'm not going to deny that…"

"She didn't have to ban you though," Katie said after a long pause, standing up. "That was way over then line! I mean, _can you see the corruption_? Why isn't anybody doing anything about it?" she shouted with her hands on her hips. "And then banning you, George and Harry. I mean, lets just ban the whole team!" she continued, throwing her hands up in the air as Fred stood up too.

"Kates, really-"

"No! it's wrong Fred, and you know it," she said, poking him in the chest, "look at you! You're a mess-"

"No need to bring it up though-"

"-I should write a letter," she said, suddenly having a revelation. "A strong worded, tongue lashing letter."

"A letter is going to do nothing," Fred said. "She works for the minister."

"So I'll write a rumor induced letter to every good damn wizarding editorial and even some muggle ones," she threatened to no one in particular. "You could help me," she said brightly, pointing to Fred, "No one can make things up as good as you-and Ange! She's like the gossip _queen bee _in this place. Even Alicia has her moments and-"

"Katie," Fred said firmly, grabbing her wrists, "It's no good. You're a bright girl, you know it."

"You're 18 in _a month _Fred," she said stubbornly, "You can't let people get away with stuff like that."

"So you think I've let her get away with it, have you?" Katie almost smiled herself as she watch an all-too-well-known mischievous smile dance across his face. "Well let me be the first to tell you that the old hag won't be having too pleasant of a time from now on."

"Really?" Katie asked, smirking as well. Fred nodded and she threw her arms around his neck which caught him rather off guard, "Oh thank Godric! I was starting to worry about your sanity-you haven't pulled off any pranks for weeks!" she pulled away but still had her hands on his shoulders, "You haven't…have you?"

"No," Fred laughed at the worried look on her Quidditch-tanned face.

"So no cherries in my socks, no fake wands lying around in my dorm, no-"

"No," Fred repeated firmly. "Nothing. Georgio and I have been lying low for a while to catch the toad off guard."

"Oh…" she nodded slightly, "so no-"

"No," he laughed, bending down to grab their brooms in one hand and grabbing hers in the other.

"Oh," Katie smiled down at their hands, "W-we-well, tha-that's good," she stammered pathetically.

She had to concentrate. She need to get this question right. She needed these points. She needed this test to help pick her grade back up. And above all she need to stop glancing at Fred who was sitting in the desk right to her left.

She ran a hand through her dark golden blonde hair, shook her head and focused even harder on the test in front of her. She had studied for this test relentlessly, she knew she knew the answer. Than why was it when her quill touched the paper that her mind would suddenly fail her? With a sigh she let herself glance over to Fred.

His quill on the other time was flying across his test. She furrowed her brow as she remember distinctly how she was studying last night while he was testing new products on first years. That wasn't fair.

And while her mind was on that track, it wasn't fair that she couldn't help but notice how wonderfully disheveled he looked. His red hair was as scruffy as ever as his bangs hung low over his head while he hunched over in his seat. His normally animated eyebrows were furrowed in thought and his brown eyes were shining in victory at the defeat of the test in front of him. His long sloped nose (that somehow was devilishly charming) was practically touching the paper in front of him he was hunched over so far and she could just make out a mischievous smile playing about his lips. Within the minute he had set down his quill in triumph as he settled back down in his seat with a broad grin on. He looked around and saw Katie with a goofy smile on looking in his direction and smiled warmly at her. She smiled back as Snape called time on the test. With a horror struck face she looked back at her test. She could see the potions master smirking gleefully as he picked up her not-even-half-finished test.

It wasn't like she would ever be brilliant at potions anyway. And since Fred was so apparently brilliant at it, she could always ask him.

In truth she could only ask him until the end of the month. March had been one bubble for her. No, really, it was. It seemed everytime Katie had to go out into the corridors she would have to mutter the incantation for the bubble head charm. The swamp the twins had installed in the castle really was worth the look on Umbridge's face when she tried to trudge through it without a charm.

On one of the last few days in the month she smirked in her bubble head as Umbridge charged down the stairs in fury. It was always a heart lifter to see the toad in a pickle. As she reached the entrance way while she undid the charm (that was one of the few spots in the castle that contained breathable air) she was stopped by a large mass of students.

She pushed a lock of hair off her face with a huff as she wiggled her way through towards the front, looking for a familiar face to question. She did find a familiar face, a face topped with ketchup and a look that knew they were in for it. She watched as the twins back-talked to Umbridge and felt her heart swell with pride. She should've known that Fred would've never let her get off that easy. It swelled even more when Fred caught her eye and sent her a quick wink-but that couldn't have been pride. But her heart shriveled and fell into her stomach as they talked about leaving and she was sure her heart dried into ashes as she-along with the rest of the student body-watched them fly off as their last Hogwarts stunt came to an end.

As the NEWTs came closer and as the teachers pressed their students noses into the grind even harder, Katie found herself lost. Sure, she knew exactly where she was in the castle even if you blindfolded her and let her wander off. But with out Fred around to goof off with when work got too hard, Katie began to dread that she just might turn into Hermione Granger. She knew Alicia Spinnet-one of her closest friends since 1st year-was much worse off than her. She had been going out with George for two years and this must've been killing her. But Katie couldn't help waiting for Fred's letter of…of something…on baited breath while she deteriorated in history of Magic.

"Ginny, can I ask you a question?" Katie asked their replacement seeker in what she considered one of the most boring days in the school year.

"Sure, what is it Kate?" Ginny asked with a smile as she looked up from studying for her finals. "Could you make it quick though?"

"Oh sure," she sat down across from the redhead and took a deep breath, "What in Godric's name did you do to amuse yourself while the twins and everyone went to school when you were ten?"

Ginny laughed outright. "Miss Fred much?"

"C'mon, I palled around your place for almost every vacation-we both know I don't need to answer that because you already know."

"Fun times messing with Percy," she mused.

"Answer the question Gin'," Katie laughed lightly.

"I usually rummaged through their room," she shrugged her shoulders. "I always figured they must've had some great stuff in there but I could never find anything-I thought they just took it all to school with them. Then I would play with the cat and the garden knomes." she paused, "This isn't helping, is it?"

"No, not really."

"Fred always said that someone could always count on you for the brutally honest truth."

"Hmm," Katie mumbled as she remembered his little balding episode.

"Sorry that I couldn't help much," Ginny smiled apologetically. "But you'll see him in a month or two once school's over with."

"That's true," Katie said a little more brightly as she got up, "thanks a bunch Gin." she was half way across the common room when she turned back.

"What is it Kat-"

"Harry Potter," she lightly and smirked when the redhead's ears turned just as bright as her hair. "Oh my god. Fred was right. All Weasley ears _can_ turn red." she smiled broadly at their seeker who was now glaring at her half-heartedly, "Thank you for help completing my research."

"Why don't you go complete school and get out of here?" Ginny asked as she cocked an eyebrow.

Katie laughed as she walked away, "If only Snape would pass me."

Katie sighed with her arms across her chest. Normally a trip to Hogsmeade after NEWTS and everything was over a month before graduation. But then again this was her first Hogsmeade trip without Fred to pal around with. With a groan she sat on the ground.

From her spot near the Shrieking Shack she could see all the hustle and bustle going on in town. She could see the little first years running around merrily without being in fear of being jumped by the twins and accidentally having their hair turn into feathers. She watched in amusement as some older girls were laughing hysterically at some piece of juicy gossip no doubt. But for some reason she found herself glowering at the coupled walking hand in hand.

Looking down at her own hand her scowl grew even more. Her hand was worn hard and callousy-man hands she called them- and it was something she had come to terms with…during the season. But now that Quidditch was over she wondered if having dainty hands was something guys liked. She definitely didn't have dainty hands. She also wondered maybe Quidditch was the reason she was never one of _those girls _that had a constant boyfriend. Maybe it was the love for the sport that landed her as 'one of the guys' even though her collar bone length hair spoke out otherwise. All her life it was easy for her to befriend guys than girls and maybe that was why she always stayed _friends_ with them. She wanted to blame Quidditch but she couldn't-Angelina had had countless boyfriends (her current one being Lee Jordan) and Alicia had been together with George since they were fifth years.

She sighed again, wondering where the majority of her female friends were. Angelina was probably in The Three Broomsticks laughing with Lee while Alicia was probably on the verge of tears sitting by herself in Madame Puddifoot's tea shop and waiting for George to walk in with flowers or something. Pulling her legs up to her chest and resting her chin on her knees with a sigh, that made her the most pathetic out of the three of them. She sighed again as she stood up and brushed off the back of her shorts, she should go comfort Alicia like any good friend.

"Sitting on the ground? That's very unladylike you know."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she mumbled stubbornly as she brushed off her legs, "Sod off Fred-" she looked up to see her most favorite redhead smirking at her. "FRED?"

"Glad I came down here for noth-oof! Well it's nice to see you too Kates," he laughed returning the hug after she had practically thrown herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Thank Godric, I thought your mother went and killed you!" she said happily, her cheek pressed against his freckled neck. "I didn't hear from you and I thought the worst. Why didn't you owl me or-" she pulled away and slapped him clear across the face. "You didn't even owl me!" she accused him as she poked him in the chest rather hard. "Was it so hard to pick up a quill and owl your best friend who just happened to be sulking ever since you-you-you took off?" she glowered at him as he smiled lightly while he grabbed her wrists and wrapped them around his neck. "You insufferable git!" she continued, leaving her arms where he left them as he stepped closer to her fuming state and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I would've at least owled you had I jumped ship and left you here stranded! You just left. Not a word to the world and left me hanging high and dry. I really should-"

What she really should've done she never said because he had managed to gingerly place his lips on her gibbering, accusing ones. Katie had half a mind to pull away and reprimand him for making her wait for so long but luckily the other half of her mind took over and allowed her to kiss him back. At first Katie wasn't sure she was doing the right thing, after all, countless years of friendship could be washed down the drain had things gone sour. But then she felt his smile against his lips while he held her tighter and decided that that didn't matter.

"Look Kates," he said once the broke apart, but still holding her tightly. "I really am sorry I left without…" he searched for the words but seemed unable to find them. "…you know."

"Hmm," she mused as she played with the slightly curled hairs at the nape of his neck, "Yeah, I think I have an idea."

"Actually it was all George's idea." She looked at him skeptically with a cocked eyebrow. "Ok, maybe it wasn't. it was kind of a think and go thing. You were there for Merlin's sake."

"And I still didn't get a goodbye…" she said not-so-discreetly-or-quietly as she gave Fred a innocently-sly look.

"Well it's all about you, isn't it?" he asked, resting his forehead against hers.

"Well a certain someone leaves, then comes back out of the blue causing another certain someone to snog them senseless, then yeah," she smirked. "It is."

Fred laughed lightly before giving her a short kiss. "C'mon," he said as he grabbed her hand and lead her back into town, "I need to make sure Alicia hasn't murdered George."

"Do you mean before or after she snogged him senseless?" Katie asked as she followed him.

"Both," he stopped to think, "But I'm sure he would like the latter if he had to go."

Katie laughed and gave his hand a tight squeeze as they made their way through the student crowded street.

**HA! I told you I would eventually write a Fred/Katie fic. And I told you they could be a cute couple. I'm sorry but I just had to try it, I mean, how could I not? Hope you liked it and that I did them SOME justice. AND I hope that you review because we all know that that would make my day because I am having slight withdrawals about how this came out.**


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